to wonder why some women don't wear make-up

[MeganCherry]

I'm sure I will get flamed for this but -

I don't mean trowel it on every morning, 3 lots of foundations, eyeshadow, eyeliner etc.

I have quite good skin, so on a usual day I'll wear - mascara and a lipstick/glass. On a bad day I'll probably wear concealer too.

I think make up is about enhancing your features and making the best of them. Me after a sleepless night I look like a zombie, add some concealer and I look like a human being again.

I like to wear make up for me and not to impress my husband or friends or strangers. I just know that I look better when I'm wearing it.

ledkr, don't feel the need to justify yourself and your choices - if you feel better wearing make-up, you do so, and feel good

I personally don't see the point, but that's me. I can see why people want to wear it.

The only women who don't look better with make -up, have no idea how to apply it!
Absolute bullshit.
Just because you feel uncomfortable without painting your face, don't try to project your inadequacy onto others. Some of us are entirely happy with our natural state.

Because I was never any good at applying it in my teens and can't be arsed to learn now
Because it feels uncomfortable on my face - like wearing a cement mask or something
Because looks aren't everything
Because I have better things to do
Because I'm secure enough with who I am as a person to feel comfortable without it
Because I'd rather spend the money on something else
Because I find the whole 'enhancing your features' idea a bit patronizing

Does it really matter though? It's my choice, doesn't really impact on anyone else. Why stress over what others do?

sally I don't feel uncomfortable without it.

I don't actually need it either. I do look better with it though.

All you hating it would too, if you did it correctly.

Another thing, this "painting your face" bit, I think you need to relax, its not like painting at all.

I don't look like Aunt Sally FFS.

Define 'better'.

I love weekends and holidays because I don't wear make-up or a bra. I wear it because I think it makes me look a little less like a child more professional at work, but in an ideal world, really cba.

It's expensive, doesn't make that much difference and if I put too much on I look like a drag queen. The one exception was my wedding day, when my genius bridesmaid made me look sooo pretty after the professional trial had gone horribly wrong (see above re: drag queen).

Ok, less tired looking.

Fresher...

Polished.

Groomed. Like I care about myself.

Make -up protects the skin, those that wear it, normally have good skin.

I won't be dying my hair though, (I'm 41) I don't use it to look younger.

I really don't think anyone should wear it if they don't like it, I just know if one is able to use it correctly...they will enjoy the difference!

Nope, there is no way make up would make me look better.

I look pretty great as it is.

Never seen anyone who looks 'better' in make up, just people who look like themselves with make up on.

I don't care what people do with their faces, but in my opinion make up doesn't make you you 'better', just made up.

I never look made up.

I know how to use it correctly!

My sister from 13 year-old, announced to me that she would never in her life go out, even just to post a letter, without being fully made up and hair perfect.
At 65, she still does this, and said to me, who doesn't wear make-up, " Women who don't wear make-up are arrogant and conceited as they think they don't need it!" It was a response to me calling her vain for piling on the make-up, including eye shadow, liner and mascara, and keeping her lipstick topped up. I said I couldn't be bothered with having to take it all off at night.

Feminine
Are you by any chance one of those pestering women wearing pseudo-clinical white jackets who hang about in front of cosmetics counters trying to sell over-priced cosmetics to gullible women with the promise that they will look "better"?

Because it aggravates bimbos that need to wear it. It's a mask.

If you need it to feel better about yourself then go ahead. It's a personal choice.

After having nursed some cosmetic patients that have just come out of theatre after having facelifts and are desperate for me to pass them their make up bag. It kinda made me realise how insecure some women are and how attached to their makeup!

On a serious note, I have seen makeup being talked about as how women "make an effort"
Apparantly caring for your hygiene, taking care of your hair, wearing nice clothes and jewelry, working, taking care of children etc is not making an effort. And men are apparently fine without it?

I have a close friend who is really really ill, she makes tremendous effort every time so goes outside and meets others. Wears no makeup though.

With make up on we look different

It is a cultural/value judgement that says we look better

I don't think I have ever looked at someone and thought "blindly, you need to put some make up on!" but I have definitely looked at someone and thought "blindly! That's a lot of slap on your face! You'd look so much nicer with less!"

*blimey not blindly!

Agree, Pretzeltime, that the "making an effort" characterisation of putting on make-up is really annoying. As if choosing not to do it was self-neglect, or neglect of responsibilities to others..

Wearing make-up is odd. It's an oddness that most of us get up to sometimes, and some of us get up to most of the time, but it is still weird and a choice.

The thread-title really is infuriating. If the OP can wonder why some women don't wear make up, I might just as well wonder why most women don't spend the 5 minutes a day that it takes to look after miniature geraniums like I do -- after all, they are very pretty and have fragrant leaves and are easy to fit into my daily routine.

The fact is we each have our own repertoire of foibles and no one needs to share them.

Feminine you look like you "care" about yourself.

What a load of bullshit. I don't look at women without make-up and think "well she obviously doesn't care about herself".

Why do men get away with not caring about themselves? Why is it ok for them to go out looking "unpolished"?

Load.of.shite. Some of you really fall for stuff hook, line and sinker.

I say this as someone who wears make-up 99% of the time.

Seventh, I think people look at me and think "Blindly you did put some make up on!" since I do it so badly I might as well have my eyes closed.

Actually, if a man wore obvious make up to work (assuming an 'ordinary' job rather than being a television presenter or other performer for whom make up is necessary/a 'creative' work environment where people are expected to do werid things) he'd be looked at oddly and maybe HR would be Having A Word. So make up for women is widely and generally percieved as looking 'professional', make up for men quite the reverse. What does that tell you?

I'm getting flashbacks to a very similar thread about dying hair.

so

My face was acceptable when i was 5, or 11- i did not need eyeliner or blusher or. mascara to look acceptable, but at 14 i did, and at 37 i do?

what is it about my naked face that needs fixing? why does my dh's face not need fixing too

I work in a graduate job for a local authority with a gay man who wears makeup (in a client facing role too) and H.R. would never think of "having a word".

Feminine, you look like you "care" about yourself.

That got to me, too! You look like you care so much about yourself, you think your real face is too nasty to be seen in public. That's not very caring :(

feminine what a load of crap!

I always look 'polished' and like I 'care' about myself even though I don't wear make up. The fact that you don't think that says more about your attitude towards yourself & your self esteem than anyone elses.